1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process for fabricating a field emitter array electron source by a self-aligned process, and more particularly to a process for fabricating a field emitter array electron source which uses a self-leveling, planarizing material to define its grid apertures.
2. Background Description
In fabricating field emitter arrays, the grid aperture holes can be fabricated by a method described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,678 issued to S. Fukase et al. on Dec. 21, 1976. That is, they can be fabricated by: (1) having a disc of masking material on top of each field emitter thereby providing a ledge to help form a mold for chemically deposited oxides or dielectrics, and (2) using optical, x-ray, or electron beam lithography to define the grid aperture holes in a resist. The problem with using optical or electron beam lithography to create the aperture holes in the extraction grid is that there may be as many as twelve masking operations--each introducing error in the positioning of the field emitters relative to the grid apertures. This cumulative error creates misalignment of the grid aperture with its corresponding field emitter thereby causing poor field emission.